Refrigerating apparatus



A. A. KUcHl-:R 42,328,151

" f 1 REFRIGmnNG APPARATUS 41=f11d oet. 2a, 1940 :s sheets-sheet 1 INVE OR.

u au Y Mw Hl N Aug, 31, 1943. A KuH'ER v2,328,151

- REFRIGERATING m'lmmsrlJs Fned oct. ze, 1940 's sheets-sheet z `Patented Aug. (31,V

REFBIGERATING APPARATUS Anal-ew A. xueneaoakwooa, omo, assigner to' General Motors Corporation, Dayton '01110, a` corporation of Delaware Application october 2s; 1940, serial No. 63,093 l' 9 claims. (ci. csc- 102)A "1; and

'I'his invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to household refrig erators.

Inasmch as the freezing compartment is used considerably less than the food storage compart ment in household refrigerators, it is desirable to place the freezing compartment beneath the tween a primary evaporator' and a food storage compartment located above" or adjacent the primary evaporator.

VIt is another object of my invention to provide an eicient mear's for moving a fluid into heat exchange relation with a heat transfer means.

It is still another object of my invention to It is another object of my invention tofprovide a vibrating reed-type fan.

Further objects and advantages of the present `invention will be apparent from the following description,`reference being had to the accom-V panying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: l v

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a household. refrigerator cabinet embodying one form of my invention;

' Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a refrigerant liquefying unit embodying another form of my invention; f Fig. 3 is `a top view of theliquefying unit shown in'Fig. 2; A v

Fig; 4 is a horizontal sectional view of one of the fan means shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a modified for'm of fanv means;

Fig. 6 is a'sectional view of the fan mea-ns shown in Fig. 4 taken along-the line 6-76 of Fig.

Fig. 'I is a sectional view taken alongr the line 'l-'I of Fig. 6.

, provide a noiseless fan requiring'no lubrication.

This,

sageway in order to transfer the heat from the ing reed-type fan is mounted upon the sealed s unit and is operated by the vibrations of the sealed unit for discharging air over the con- 10 denser surfaces.

Referring now to the drawingsand moreparticularly to Fig. 1, there is shown a household refrigerator cabinet containing a food storagel compartment inner liner member 22 enclosing 1`5 a food storage compartment 24. At the bottom from the food storageA compartment 24 by a dividing wall or partition 28 of some suitable in- 20 sulating material. If` desired, this partition wall may be -vertically movable in order to change the relative sizes of these two compartments. The freezing compartment 28 is enclosed upon the bottom and two, sides by a primary evapov rating means 30 which is normallyI maintained at freezing temperatures. Insulating means l2 surrounds the food compartment inner liner 30 sage 34 which extends in a complete circuit en-- tirely around the tcp side andv rear walls of food compartment inner liner member and bottom, 'rear 4and side wallsof the primary evaporator $0'. Both the .freezing and food compartments are sealed from the air inthe passage 34 at all points. g

This cabinet arrangement is desirable since it places the food compartment at a much more convenient height. Since the food compartment 40 is used much more frequently than the freezing compartment,'thereis a distinct gain in convenience by this; arrangement. However, this. arrangement makes it impossible to use natural convection .for cooling the food-storage compartment 24 by the primary evaporator 30.

. In order to overcome this difficulty in a very I have shown a household refrigerator cabinet surrounding the food storage compartment 24 is witha food comptment inner liner located above the freezing compartment. An air passageway surrounds both compartments and an electrically operated vibrating reed-type fan is drawn By'this fan downwardly beneath the primary .evaporator 30. and discharges the air "transversely beneath the primary Aevaporator 30 l so that itis cooled andrises to displace,y theair provided for circulating the air through themas-|- 615,*l drawn downwardly by the fan. `By this circucircuit relation with the sealed unit 42.

lation heat is transferred from the outerl surface of the liner member 22 to the outer surfaceof the evaporator 30. Only a comparatively small amount of air circulation isrequred for this purpose and this air circulation keeps the outer walls -of theinner liner member 22 cool, preferably at f a temperature of between 35 and 40 F.

There is little or no air circulation in the food storage compartment 24 since the partition 28 .has its insulating value so proportioned that its upper surface is maintained at a temperature slightly below the remaining wall surfaces of the Y compartment 24. In this way, the/walls of the compartment 24 are kept comparatively cold and air circulation within the compartment 24 is substantially prevented. Since-the food compartment 24 is cooled through its walls at a com- Y paratively high temperature, a high humidity nected. by a liquid supply conduit 46` with a re- 1 strictor 48 for controlling the flow of liquid re'- frigerant into theprimary evaporator 30. The operation of sealed unit 42 is controlled by a thermostat switch 52 operated in accordance with the temperature of a thermostat bulb 54, mounted in direct contact with the primary evaporator 30 in order to normally maintain the primary evaporator 30 at freezing temperatures. An electric vibrating reed-type fan 38 is connectedfby the conductors 56 to the motor circuit 58. It may be connected in series with the sealed unit 42 so thatlt-,will cycle with the' sealed unit 42,

but I find it preferable to connect this fan in parallel Awith the sealed unit'42 and the switch 52 so that it will operate continuously. I also provide an 'electrically operated vibrating reedtype fan 60 for discharging air over the heat' transfer surfaces of the condenser 44. This fan may be connected by the conductors 62 in series This type of fan, when. desired, maybe made in such a way that substantially no voltage is required for its operation.

Referring now to Figs. 4, 6 and 'l forv a more complete disclosure of oneform of this type of fan, there .is shown a sheet metal shroud 68 having an' inlet 6 8 and a bell-shaped outlet-10. The outlet is positioned directly adiacent the condenser 44 so that itV discharges directly through the central portion of the condenser parallel to the fins.4 Within the shroud there provided a vibrating blade 12 riveted to'the ends of -a pair of vibrating reeds 14. These reeds 14 as well as the blade 12 are made of high quality very thin spring steel. The opposite ends of the reeds 14 are clamped bythe clampingv blocks 18 and thenuts 18 to the inverted T-shaped pole piece.

Surrounding the pole piece 8 is an electromagnet coil '82. The pole piece 80 is provided with a hooked" end 84 which terminates slightly toune side of the natural position of the blade v 12. This hooked end 84 is a permanent magnet which functions-in commotion with the elec- .tromagnet coil 82 tovibrate the blade-12. The

. anchoring ends of the reeds 14 are slotted so that the length of the reeds may be adjusted in order that the natural period of vibration of the blade 5 assembly is tuned to the frequency of the alternating current supplied to the coil 82.

The coil 82 may be ithera series coil in which l it is connected in series with the electric motor in the sealed unit or it may be -a high resistance l0. coil which may be connected directly across a supply line. When the reed assembly is properly tuned, only a very small amount of current is required to vibratefthe reed. The reed assembly, of course, vwill vibrate even though not properly tuned but the amplitude of the vibration and the efci'ency of air movement is greatly increased when the reed assembly is tuned to the frequency of the alternating current. The hooked permanent magnet 84 aids in starting the blade to vibrate and increases the amplitude of the vibrations of the blade 12. The vibrations of the blade 12 draw theair in through the inlet 6B and discharge the air through the bell-shaped end 10 ofthe shroud 66 so 'that the air passes through the condenser 44. The vibrating reed fan 38 is similar to the fans shown in Figs. 4, 6 and 7, excepting that the shape of the shroud is-attened so that it fits the Aspace provided beneath the primary evaporator 3 0.

Fig. 5 shows another form o f vibrating reed ,fan which may be applied to the heat transfer member 44 or which may operate beneath the primary evaporator 30 like the fan 38. Ihis vibrating reed fan shown in Fig. 5 includes a vibrating reed 202 which is anchored at its lower end by being held between the plates 204 and 206 which in turn are riveted to a flanged base member 208. Attached to the vibrating reed A202 isV a permanent magnet 2|0 of the bar type. 'I'his permanent magnet 2I0 'is fastened to the vibratingreed 202 by a. yoke 2l2 which has its ends passing through the plates 2l4 located on opposite sides of the reed 202. The ends of theyoke 2I2 are spun yover to form rivet heads in order to -ifasten the bar magnet 2I0 firmly-to thereed.

The end of the bar magnet 2I0 vterminates between the ends of the upper and lower pole pieces 2|6 and 2|8 of an electromagnet 220. This electromagnet 220 is fastened to the base 208.

5u This electromagnet may be connected in series or in parallel with the sealed unit 42. When alternating current is applied to the electromagnet `220 it will attract and repelthe permanent magnet 2 I 0 to cause the reed 202 to vibrate. The reed is so proportioned as to length, width, .thickness and character of its metal that its natural frequency of vibration is tuned tothe frequency of the alternating current used. When so tuned the reed 202 will vibrate at the frequency vof the altero nating current with considerable amplitude. In order to make use of the vibrations of this reed for directing a movement of air, I provide a funnel-shaped shroud 222 surrounding the upper portion of the reed 202. This shroud 222 is sup- 55 ported by bracket 224 extending from the base 208. I have shown the shroud made with a straight taper having a comparatively large opening in the bottom anda larger opening in the top.

However, other types of shrouds may be used if vided with a resilient mo 'I'his sealed motor-compressor unitv III. is proting support Il! of some suitable type which will allow it to vibrate quite freely. 'Ihis sealed unit III discharges into a condenser H having its tubing formed into a circular coil. This tubing is provided with cross-fins I Il which extend radially. Within this condenser structure are vibrating reeds I I9 exf tending from a central post I2I like the spokes of a wheel." This central post I2I is fastened to and extends from the top of the sealed unit III. As

shown, there are provided three sets of blades I I9 located one above the other. Each set of blades maybe made from one piece of metal or from different strips of metal clamped together at their inner ends like spolres to the hub of a wheel. If desired, the reeds' in the various sets may `be staggered. The reeds should be of such a length and thickness that their natural vibration period or frequency is tuned to the frequnecy of vibration set up by the motor-compressor'unit III inr normal operation. I1' desired, the frequency of the different sets of blades may be different in order to cover a range of Vfrequency vibrations of the unit. The vibration of the vibrating reeds IIS will discharge airradially through the circular finned' condenser II5` which surrounds the reeds. In this way, the vibrations of the vsealed unit form the motive power for vibrating the reeds which, in turn, circulate air between the ns of the condenser I I5.

In this way, I have provided an eilicient heat transfer system for the condenser of the refrigf erating system and for interchanglng heat between the primary evaporator and the food com* partment.

heat transfer means, an electromagnet for applying impulses to said reed, and an alternating current source and a common circuit for supplying alternating current to said liquefyng means and said electromagnet, said reed being tuned to the frequency of the alternating current, said electromagnet being connected in electrical series relationship with said liquefying nleans.

4. Refrigerating apparatus including a com-l pressor unit, a yieldable mounting for said comr pressor unit, said compressor unit having vibration characteristics causing it to vibrate upon its mounting, a condenser unit connected to said compressor unit, and avibrating reed-type fan 'operated bythe vibrations of the compressor unit for circulatingair in heat exchange rela-v tlonshi-p with the condenser unit, said fan having a natural frequency of vibration tuned to the vibration characteristics of said compressor unit l 6. In combination, a heat transfer member, a vibrating reed for circulating a fluid in heat 'exchange relation with said heat transfer mem- While the form'oi,| embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preierred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be "adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow. i y

What isclaimedisas follows: I

1. Refrigeratmg apparatus including, nquefying means and evaporating means-each of said means including heat transfer means for inter- .chanzing heat with air outside of said means,

and a vibrating reed-type fan means for circulating the air into heat exchange relationship with one of said heat transfer means.

2. Refrigerating apparatus including liquefying means and evaporating means, each of said means including heat transfer. means for inter-- changing heat with air outside of said means, and a vibrating reed for circulating the vair into heat exchange relationship with one-of, said heat transfer means, an electromagnet forY applying 'impulses to said reed, and an alternating current source and a common circuit for supplying alterelectromagnet, said reed being tuned to the frequency of the alternating current.v 7

3. Refrlgeratlng apparatus including liquefying means and evaporating means, each of said means including heat transfer means for interchangingheatwith air outside of said'means, and a vibrating reed for circulating the -air into heat exchangel relationship 'with one oi said A nating current to said liquefying means and said ber, electromagnetic means for applying imv'pulses to said reed, means for supplying alter-4 nating current to said electromagnetic means, the natural frequency of vibration of saidreed being in tune with the frequency of the alternating current. n

7. Refrigerating apparatus including a refrigerant compressor unit, a yieldable mounting for -said compressor unit, said compressor unithaving vibration characteristics causing it to vibrate upon its mountingf a vibrating reed type fa`n includingradially extending vibrating reeds mounted upon said compressor unit, a condenser connected to said compressor unit, said condenser being formed of tubing coiled about the free ends of the vibrating reeds and provided with substantially radially extending nns.

8. In combination, a heat 'transfer member, a

vibrating reed type fan including a'plurality of radially extendingreeds for circulating a fluid in heat exchange relatlonwith said heat transfer'inember, said heat transfer member being formed of tubing coiled about the free ends of said vibrating reeds, and means for applying impulses to said reed fan.

9. In combination, a heat transfer'` member, a

vibrating reed typefan including a pluralltyof radially extending reeds for circulating a duid in heat exchange relationl withy said heat transfer member, said heat transfer member beingV formed of tubing coiled about the free ends of said vibrating reeds and provided with radially extending fins, and means for applying impuises to said reed fan, v 

